


I Should've Told You

by HetaFruitsOuranHp321



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Just dadvid, Purely dadvid, There will be mentions of child abandonment, dadvid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 17:32:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12173517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HetaFruitsOuranHp321/pseuds/HetaFruitsOuranHp321
Summary: After Mr. Campbell dropped the truth onto Max, David blames himself. A look through a photoalbum leads to his true confession.





	I Should've Told You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [directium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/directium/gifts).



> The teenage dadvid au took time to grow on me (being 18 myself), but I ended up loving it. I wanted to wait till dadvid appreciation week, but I thought why not now?
> 
> Directium... there's not enough angst in your au.

David really should've expected this. He knew he should have known that the moment Max knew, it'd go down from there. He had hoped it'd be a time where both could calmly discuss it, to have a closure. Acceptance. But what he did not expect is the way it came to Max. The way David always feared. From the moment Mr. Campbell spewed the truth, David's heart stopped. The ice rushing through his veins faster than an actual bucket of ice water could spill over him when those six words escaped the man who had once been his hero, but no more. 

"David's not your actual father, Max."

Those tears, the betrayal in his eyes. This was someone who he'd raised, someone who relied on him. And now it felt like it was more he lied to him. Could David blame him? But it hurt David just as much. The hurt turned to anger, hate... disgust. David felt disgusted at himself as well. He took the verbal hits and attacks Max swung his way. Max became colder, distant, even hateful towards David. A man who had once been warmingly and lovingly called 'dad' soon became just an icy cold 'David'.

He'd grown used to it over the last couple years now. The ten year old didn't see him as a dad anymore. Just a sitter. David had to accept this. And so he did, with disheartenment and disappointment. David had been angry at Campbell, wanted to scream, shout, even blow a few hits to the face with a fist. But David was not ready for that. He never would be, and he knew that. He knew that and his shoulders shook with self deprication.

It made David feel weak. What good of a father was he if he couldn't even tell Max the truth forever ago? No. He lost that title the moment the truth came out. He didn't deserve Max as a son, nor did he deserve any feeling of sadness for himself. He lied, this was his consequence. It was how life played her cruel game. He just wanted the game to end. If not, change the rules to a fairer level. But that wasn't going to happen any time soon.

To much of Max's disappointment, David could tell, he still lived with David. David was his legal gaurdian, whether he liked it or not. David knew better at this point to go with not than to, well, not. Max used to be so open to David, problems arising at school, a friend no longer wishing to be friends, a broken toy or two. But those days were over, Max secluding himself more. David, once again, never blamed him.

Tonight, however, felt like a heavy night. David couldn't sleep. His mind forcing him to toss and turn, eyes unable to close despite the exhaustion he felt. It was two in the morning. An hour that David knew wasn't healthy to be up at. God he wish he knew why. When his instinct screamed to get up and go to the living room, he forced himself to. The house was quiet albeit the creaks in the steps David took. It was a clear night, something David would usually enjoy. But tonight, no. He couldn't.

Normally in situations like this, he'd be in the kitchen fixing himself a glass of warm milk with honey to help fall back asleep. But he found himself stepping towards the bookshelf, outreaching an arm for a book, leather by the feel of it, and sat down in his reading chair before turning a lamp on. His heart dropped. The photoalbum he kept... those... pictures in. Opening it up, he frowned in melancholy.

Max, just a month old, pacifier in mouth. He was asleep in David's arms, head resting in his tiny shoulder against David's chest. David remembered how hard it was to get Max to fall asleep, his cries echoing through the house. David chuckled at his younger face, bags under his eyes. He lost so many nights of sleep in those days. How many times he fell asleep in his classes he lost count. But it had been worth it for the little boy.

Another of Max showed when he had been watching TV, a couple with him wearing sunglasses. One of David's favourites being the one taken of Max at one and three months, taking his first steps. In the picture, Max's diaper round and huge for the little frame in his sweet little Bear in the Big Blue House shirt, his hands outreached with a smile on his face. As he walked towards his dad... towards David, who had the proudest smile, stretching out his arms in encouragement, his eyes gleaming with joy. It had been perfect.

"What the fuck are you doing up?" David nearly jumped out of his skin when he looked up. Max was awake, glaring tiredly at him. David bit his lip in worry and looked at his feet.

"I... I couldn't sleep... so I decided on late night reading," David managed to get out. At it again with a lie, he thought to himself. "Why are you up?"

"Can a kid get water without any questions, David?" David winced and shut the book. He sighed and got up to put the album away when Max picked up an item and started to hand it to him. "You dropped-... this..."

David looked down and saw it was a polaroid photo. One that struck his heart. It was Max's fifth birthday party, the lights dimmed, and only the candles held any light. The cake, covered in chocolate frosting, looked horrendous and misshapen. Max's smile was wide, laughter evident, his front tooth missing. David was hugging the boy, blowing a raspberry to his cheek, a smile lingering on his face. Under it, it read "Happy 5th birthday to my little buddy!". A heart doodled under 'buddy'. Max stared at it for a long tense minute before breaking the silence.

"Why are you looking at this?" David couldn't handle it. He sat back down in his chair and sighed.

"Because something told me to..."

"At two in the morning?" Max asked, raising a brow. David sat in his chair in silence, not sure what to say himself. Other than-

"I remember that day... your fifth birthday." He started to smile sadly. "You were so excited. Finally old enough to go to school. 'Like dad', you said. Your eyes lit up when you woke up that day..."

Max squinted his eyes and looked at David in confusion. "What the fuck does this have to do with anything?"

David sighed, ignoring the question. At this point he wasn't sure why, but the words came out. One by one. "You were so excited to the point that I wanted to get everything right. The decorations, presents, games... anything a five year old liked. It was fine until the cake... Oh that cake still gives me nightmares!" He breathily laughed.

"I wanted to try something new, something I'd never done. Gwen told me to just make your cake look like Mr. Honeynuts or something. But no. I wanted to go big. I went with a layered cake. It was a disaster! I followed every step, every stir, every minute. But when it came out..." David was chuckling and holding his face in his hand, his smile wide and big. "It looked hideous. It was concaved in areas here and there, the middle still had an uncooked place. Tiny but there. I was embarrassed."

Max looked at him with now the most utter confusion there was, and David knew it. But he continued. "I was so disappointed in myself... I was scared I let you down. I let you down over a cake. But I had no choice and no bakery could make a cake in a short time. So when I presented the cake, I was terrified you'd hate me..."

David's shoulders slumped as the memory resurfaced more and more. "But you didn't. You saw that cake and smiled so wide. You looked so happy and you just embraced the cake, happy at its ugliness and delicious form. You were just happy to have a party... but one thing that still remains in my mind..." David looked up at Max, his frown deep and in sorrow. "Is that I will never forget how you looked right at me and said 'I love you, dad'. I broke that day in a complete and unexpected way."

David didn't expect Max to be listening, as he just looked at David, photo still in his hand. David didn't mind, however. He just wanted his son. "I tended to forget a lot about how exactly we were related. I forgot to the point that sometimes I would actually believe I really was your biological father. I'd forgotten any doubt that I was never actually your father. At times, it seemed like I was there when you were born. Held you, and took you home from the hospital. Instead of finding you abandoned behind that diner."

David had tears welling at this point. This was the first time he'd cried in front of Max since Mr. Campbell told the truth. The words kept spilling out. He couldn't stop himself at this point. "Sometimes I'm not the greatest person you know. Especially now. You have every right to disown me as your dad. You even have a right to find out who your biological parents are."

Biting his lip, he wiped his face and shook. His shoulders felt as if a mountain sat on him, crushing him under the weight of the world. "I tried really hard to find out myself for you. I still can't find them. It's like they disappeared. I really tried though. But seeing your face... your tiny hands... those curling toes... your sweet green eyes and wide smile... I fell in love. I understood the meaning of a parents' love. Max, please just try to understand..."

He felt petty as he gripped his hair, trying so hard not to break down. But he knew he was failing. "Just understand please... I love you. I can't change that. I love you and I just want to be... I just..." his bottom lip quivered pathetically, feeling ashamed. He couldn't take it anymore. "I just want to be your dad. I can't change what you want but know that you've always been my son... and nothing- NOTHING- will ever fucking change that for me."

It slipped. He didn't mean to curse so harshly, but it slipped. He almost didn't notice the soft sniffles of the boy in front of him. Looking up, he saw Max gripping the picture tightly in his hands. He was quivering, shaking. David was worried. Did he say something wrong?! "Max-"

"You fucking moron," David was prepared for anything. A slap, a glare, anotner insult. But what he got was a tight death grip. David was genuinely caught off guard as the boy shook against him, the warmth of tears spilling onto David's night shirt. "Fucking dumbass... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm fucking sorry! Okay?!" He nearly yelled into David's shirt. David looked down confused as Max looked up.

"You're a fucking idiot hiding it from me. It was shitty of you on your behalf, and rather untrusting... but..." he wiped his face on his sleeve and glared up. His face was scrunched up, eyes red from the tears. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

David felt like crying again. He missed moments like this. Wrapping the boy in his arms, David gave him a comforting back rub, the occasional shoosh, and a couple 'it's okay's before facing him. "I should've told you, Max. And I know this. But please know I love you. I really do. You have always been my son, even if not by blood. I love you, and that's all that matters."

"... I love you too, dad..."


End file.
